Titanium
by acalanto
Summary: "Now I'm Rachel. Why the concern, Captain? You fear of losing your prisoner..."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Titanium, music in voice Madilyn Bailey, gave me the idea for this story.**

The Captain began to ignore her, she told herself it did not matter, she was here to do a job, defeat this virus, and that is what she would do.

After her confession, orders was that she would only have access to the laboratory and its cabin. She recalled that at the beginning of the mission, she walked away because had a hard secret to hide, the families of the crew were in danger. Then gradually she earned the respect of the crew, risking her life for them, did her best to get forgiveness for their lies and subterfuge. Now it was a killer waiting for trial. The sentencing words the Captain hurt more than she cared to admit.

His impassive expression unchanging, it was like looking at a wall, she wanted to shake him to get a reaction.

It had been only twenty-four hours, but it seemed an eternity. In her sanctuary (the laboratory), the place where she always managed comfort, a sense of purpose, now the place was defiled, justice or revenge? She was not sure. Killed a man in cold blood and said to the Captain your wish that Sorensen had died more slowly. She lost a part of herself. Niels Sorensen was the winner at the end.

She could not concentrate to do her job, her eyes burned with unshed tears. She decided go back to your cabin, but first needed a shower.

Lieutenant Cruz was her shadow now. Perhaps the Captain thought she would escape, as she would make that was beyond her comprehension, since she was a battleship in the middle of the ocean.

In the shower, left the hot water wash your body, rubbed and began to remember what it was forced to make, touch it, be friendly with that worm, she felt sick and dirty. She rubbed her body harder, with those memories came other, cold blue eyes and accusatory. The tears started streaming down your face; she fell to the ground curled in a fetal position, the sobs shaking her body, the pain, the despair, the feeling that she was now more alone than ever.

Lieutenant Cruz was worried. She was already over forty minutes in the bath, and if she was sick? She didn't seem very well in the last two days.

He did not know what to do, could not enter the local where were the showers, but … It was when she left, the bowed head, but he can see her eyes swollen, she had been crying, looked exhausted, with the spirit broken. She went straight to the cabin, which was odd. She always worked late.

Rachel saw the look worried of Lieutenant. Today she felt sorry for herself, weakness, tomorrow would be strong again. She would sleep a few hours, return to work in the morning. When the virus was definitely defeated, could get off the ship and life of Captain Thomas Chandler.

A few hours later, she returned to work, needed to find a way to make the contagious cure. Began working more hours than usual, ate the necessary and slept no more than one to two hours per night.

Until she found what she was looking for, a way to make the contagious cure. She needed to test it in humans, but knew that without the confidence of the Captain, she would not get volunteers on the ship.

Then she decided to do what no scientist would do, test the vaccine itself, but had to take certain precautions, she could not put the crew at risk. Although the possibility of this happening was small...

Cruz noted the Dr. Scott. Since the day that she cried in the shower, she had changed, focused on the work in a way that bordered on obsession. Now she was writing on the computer, was already doing this at least two hours. When she finished, she saved the information and returned to the home screen, she looked at the image and delete the photo.

He watched her pick up a syringe and go for quarantine area, a fact that left him with a strange feeling, the Captain had ordered to watch Dr. Scott, without interfering with your work, but something was not right.

His fears were confirmed when she injected something in the arm.

"Dr. Scott, what are you doing?" He asked worried.

" Don't worry lieutenant, I'm just testing a new form of the vaccine, if something goes wrong, the information is on the computer, I'm not putting anyone at risk."

"If something goes wrong?"

"There are some variables lieutenant; sometimes experiments go wrong. But I take every possible precaution."

For a moment he panicked. God! She may die, he thought worried. He remembered the tests with the crew members. The things that went wrong, the death of Maya. And everything had ended well, because she was in charge of everything. He had to warn the Captain.

He said one of the sailors to call the Captain and the doctors, and then returned to the side of the quarantine area. She looked sleepy.

"Dr. Scott?"

"It's all right, Lieutenant. I am just tired; I just need some sleep, now that I finished my work. If appearing side effects of the vaccine, this will only happen after a few hours."

When the sailor told the Captain that Cruz asked his presence in the laboratory, he thought about various scenarios, but not this. Rachel within the quarantine area.

"What's going on, Lieutenant?" Captain asked.

"Good night, Captain. I think I can answer that question. Lieutenant is concerned because I testing a new vaccine in myself." Rachel said.

She tested a new vaccine itself, Tom thought worried, afraid for her safety. Fear fueling his anger.

The Captain approached, his nose almost touching the plastic from the quarantine area. " You did what?" He asked angry.

"My job," she said quietly.

"Your job is not try to kill himself, Rachel! What you did was reckless, what's going on with you?"

"Now I'm 'Rachel. Why the concern, Captain? Fear of losing his prisoner... Be careful, his crew might think you care; your reputation can be ruined forever, after all I am just a murderer."

The others watched the debate without interfering, when Dr. Scott and the Captain entered into collision course, the wisest is to stay out of the way.

"I care about you, how I care for every man and woman of this ship, but you killed a man in cold blood, it was my duty to take action about it."

"Why wait for the trial? I'm guilty in your eyes, you have condemned me. Why don't you puts a bullet in my head? It would be a more rapid death."

"I would never hurt you, things do not work that way and you know it."

"You're not, but I'm a killer, he was not my first victim, I explode the head of the Russian officer. You remember? "She said with irony.

"That was different, you killed in self-defense in the case of Niels was premeditated, deliberate, because you planned every step. When you confessed to killing Niels, you seemed proud of your achievement. If you were to show some sign of regret for your actions, maybe…"

"Repentance? I'm not sorry, Captain, I would kill again if given me a chance. The truth is that I did that every person on this ship like to do, including you."

"I do not kill people in cold blood, Dr. Scott."

"Tell me, Captain. Are soldiers morally justified in killing other soldiers in combat?"

"Yes, the soldiers are permitted to act in self-defense in wartime and..."

"I worked in conflict areas in Africa and the Middle East. I saw soldiers killing not only enemy soldiers but also terrorizing and brutalizing villages, raping women, killing defenseless people, because for them the enemy must be destroyed at any cost. Everyone say that morality is suspended in time of war, but the war only lets come to the fore our darker side, the monster that dwells in the depths, finally free from the shackles of morality and justice. Neither one of us is innocent, Captain".

"If we give up our values, we have already lost this war, and not worth saving what remains of humanity, Rachel."

"You blackmailed me to work with Niels, hunted Ramsey after he bombed New Orleans, not just because he was the enemy to be fought, but because you wanted revenge, Ramsey is your white whale, Niels was my."

"I went behind Ramsey was for strategic reasons and I did not blackmail you, as you insist on telling me, you're not a soldier, you could have refused my request."

"Request? Niels also imposed some conditions to work with me..."

An idea began to take shape in his mind, making him feel sick, she would not go so far, but perhaps that could explain the visceral hatred she has for the man.

"Rachel, he hurt you in any way, he tried something…"

"If he tried to rape me? No, he wanted to take me to bed and I wasn't in any position to deny him. I just did things on _my terms_."

"What do you mean, what terms?"

"There are different ways in which a man and a woman can have sex, Captain… You want me to explain all the details or maybe do a drawing showing the possibilities..." She said, her voice dripping irony.

"What? Impossible, you would not do such a thing. You hated him Niels Sorensen."

"You do not know me enough to know what I am capable of doing, Captain. Someone capable of killing in cold blood can also use the body to achieve your goal."

"Rachel what you did?" He demanded.

"This look and tone of voice can work with his soldiers, but I'm not one of your soldiers, Captain, I just a prisoner on his ship."

"Dammit! Rachel, tell me." He insisted angry.

She ignore the Captain and speaks to the doctors.

"Dr. Rios and Dr. Milowsky, I wrote the procedures of contagious vaccine, the data is on my computer, as well as the procedures in case something goes wrong."

The Captain winced to hear her talk about 'if something went wrong 'as if speaking of time.

"Where fits the Hippocrates oath in all this? Preserve life, for example, not harming the patient. "Tom regretted as soon as the words left his lips. Goddamn it! She was able to make him lose control.

A shadow passed through her eyes, but she did not flinch. "As you can see Captain, I'm trying to develop a cure, and I took care to protect his crew, so I'm here and you out there, I have no intention of committing suicide, if that's what you're thinking."

"Why jeopardize your life? Scientists should not respect the rigor of the scientific process." He asked ruthless.

"I did tests of the vaccine in six members of his crew. You are saying that my life is more important than theirs is!"

"No, but…"

"I still have much work to do, Captain, that idiot did a damage that cannot be repaired so easily. Also as a prisoner on this ship is I better be useful. I can sleep when I'm dead. Sometimes you need take risks in the name of science, but I made an extensive and careful research, I think I'm safe."

"You believe?"

"Phases of the scientific process are observation, questioning, hypotheses, deduction, experimentation, completion and dissemination. At the stage of experimentation is stage in which the researcher conducts experiments to prove (or deny) the accuracy of its assumptions. If, after running of various experiences, the results are the same, the hypothesis is true. This is called the scientific method. I do not say how you must command your ship and you do not tell me how to do my job, Captain!"

The spark of fury that Tom felt turned a fire. How dare she do something so reckless, he felt momentum entering the quarantine area and shake her, try for some common sense in this hard headed.

Cruz learned in training, that sometimes, if you look threatening, your opponent would retreat. The Captain was a good commander and a dangerous opponent, if he was looking at me the way he was looking at Dr. Scott, I was already crying and asking my mother, quarantine area or not. Dr. Scott was not backing down, on the contrary, the more furious the captain became, more calm she was, seemed to provoke him.

"If you don't mind, I need to sleep." She says. Then she if lay on a stretcher and closes her eyes.

Fists and jaw clenched, it was obvious that lacked little for the Captain lose control over their emotions. He is angry with what she did and the insinuations about Niels.

"We will resume this conversation Rachel, you owe me some explanations," he says, but she does not react and did not even open her eyes.

"Find out what she did and let me know", said the Captain, before taking one last look at the woman and leave.

"Yes, sir." Responded the doctors. They exchanged worried glances.


	2. Chapter 2

The Captain returned to the cabin, he knew he needed if calm down. God! How she can do that? He walked in the cab like a caged tiger, anger emanating from him in waves.

"Captain!"

"You already know!"

"A ship not the best place to keep secrets, Tom." What Mike did not say was that the discussion between the two was the topic of conversations on ship, he had heard interesting conversations about the fight between and Captain.

Dr. Scott could cause reactions in Tom that no one else could. She managed to make the contained and controlled Captain lose control easily.

"How's she doing?" Mike asked

"She looks fine, but the six crew members of the first test also seemed well."

"She is an experienced scientist, would not do something to jeopardize her life."

"She take bad decisions lately, Mike. She throws herself headlong into dangerous situations. She also said something about Niels, that he pressed she for get sexual favors"

"Do you think she would do something like that?" Mike asked

'I do not know, she said 'there are different ways in which a man and a woman can have sex,' and when I insisted, she refused to answer. Perhaps this explain why she killed him, if he try... In the investigation you have did about the death of Niels arise some information, some clue that confirms what she said?"

"No, but that was not the focus of the investigation, but I can interrogate the two soldiers again and try to discover something if you want."

"Do it, Mike."

"She must have learned lot from the first vaccine test, she'll be fine, Tom."

"She may well have if sentenced to death! Because if something goes wrong, there is no one to save her life, Dr. Rios and Dr. Milowsky found no answers before, only she was able to do this, she found the cure."

Mike was also concerned. However, for Tom knew the feeling was worse, his friend love the Dr. Scott. Tom to recognize this feeling was the same thing as accepting that he had betrayed his wife, by the moral standards, that he imposed itself, this was not acceptable, and now this new information about Niels makes things worse.

* * *

A few hours later Mike informed Tom that Rachel stay been alone with Niels in his cabin for about five minutes. The soldiers said they had not heard anything suspicious. But that did not lessen Tom's fears that she could have done something, only she could give the answers he needed, he would find out the truth even if he had to pry this information from her.

* * *

Dr. Milowsky came inform on the conditions of Rachel, some hours later.

"How's she doing, Dr?" Asked Tom.

"Dr. Rios and I we monitor her. She is sleeping, she constantly push your limits without giving your body a chance to rest. I read her notes, she tested the vaccine in mice before, took precautions. Your notes describes also about effects."

"Which collateral effects?"

"Fever, headache, tiredness…"

"Tiredness cannot make her more vulnerable and compromising the test?"

"I do not believe it, she is a brilliant scientist, as I said her report is complete in every way."

Something in the tone of the doctor alerted the Captain.

"What are you not telling me?"

The doctor seems uncomfortable to answer the question. However, he knew the Captain would read the medical report.

"Tell me Dr!" Tom demanded.

"She wrote about the proper procedures to make an au...autopsy, if something goes wrong."

"She did what?" He shouted. A Rachel's body image being cut into pieces left Tom sick. He slammed his fist on the table.

The doctor tried to appease him. "That it will not be necessary, she is well."

Someone knocked on the door. "Sorry to interrupt, Sir. The commander Slattery wants to see him on the bridge."

Tom takes a few deep breaths, trying to control the anger he feel, because now their desire is to enter that area of quarantine and shake Rachel...

"Alright, Dr, keep me informed if anything changes." The Captain says before leaving.

"I will, sir."

* * *

Rachel came out of quarantine after two days. She was perfectly healthy.

Tom was reading the report on the new vaccine. The report says that they would be able to pass the healing of one person to another, like a flu. The contagious period is five days; the already immunized should receive a booster dose. Maybe we could win this war, he thought.

Tom thought of the woman responsible for that. He had not seen her since the day on what discussed with her, the doctors keep him updated about her condition.

He kept away, was too angry to think clearly, they could end up arguing again, because she seemed to know exactly what to do to get a reaction from him, perhaps information about Niels has been used for this purpose, to make him feel guilty.

He remembered the last conversation, _every_ word, _every_ inflection of voice it was intended to irritate him, make him lose control and he fell like an idiot.

He needed to have a talk with her, to make it clear that he accepted not be manipulated. Not the best time to confront Rachel, not when he would go on a mission, but he needed to talk to her.

She has not noticed his approach, all her attention focused on her work. When she noticed, she lifted her chin in defiance, after all, had nothing to hide.

Tom ordered the soldiers for go out and close the door.

She cannot help but admire it; as o soldier dressed for battle, he was an impressive sight.

"You guys were able to find the sign of the immunes..."

"Yes, we have a chance to destroy the source of their signal, this will give us an advantage and prevent them to continue spreading lies and hindering our work."

"They believe are certain and they will do anything to prove it, even cause the death of innocent people. Idiots who think they speak for God." She said.

He did not think she was talking about the immunes, seemed something more personal, more a mystery to unravel about Rachel.

"Are you okay?" He asked

"Of course. As I said the vaccine is safe."

"Okay, so why the quarantine?"

"Precaution, I did not want to be accused of putting your crew at risk. if something went wrong, just I myself would be affected, my mission is complete, I am dispensable, the crew is not."

"No one on this ship is dispensable, all life is important, you had no right to for her life at risk in this way, do not do it again."

"It's my life, I can do with it what I want, but as I told you before, I'm not suicidal, it was a calculated risk, I knew what I was doing all the time."

"And Niels?"

"What about him?" She asks disinterested.

"What happened when you stay alone with him?"

"Why you care? You hate me for breaking their rules. Niels is passed, it's just another chapter of my past that I have to live with."

"Rachel, I could never hate you, but worries me that you have been forced to do something you did not want, something dirty, degrading... Tell me what happened, please."

Damn! When he makes demands she can avoid answering your questions, but when he asks for answers that way, she cannot deny him anything. She thinks.

"I did not have sex with him, but I let him think he could have a chance, and for that I had to touch it." She says as if disgusted with herself.

"And it was that why you killed him?"

"No, I killed him because he did not deserved to live after having taken so many lives, I killed him because the bastard had a God complex and it would not change. Alive he had no use, dead, I could use your body to develop a contagious cure."

"The same contagious cure that could have killed you, you mean. Why you made me think that her life was in danger, Rachel?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know what I think. I think you set up a great show, making us believe that you could die. Information about the autopsy was icing on the cake. You knew exactly what I would think, but maybe that was your goal."

"I am a scientist, but I do not read minds, _Captain_. I offered all the data; you come to conclusions hasty alone. Do not blame it on me. Someone made an error in judgment, and went not me."

"And I thought you were a genius in strategy and military tactics, but it seems _Captain,"_ she says her rank as an insult, "that your skills are overrated."

"I will not change my mind; you will be taken to trial **."**

"I never thought the opposite, _Captain_. I would not dream of it, because that way people would say I corrupted you."

Hell! She managed to annoy him again. "Stop this, Rachel!"

"What? I'm not doing anything, just agreeing with you, _Captain."_

"Yes you are. You is say my rank as an insult, dammit."

She was close to the wall. He approached trying to intimidate her; she had to lift her head to face him, but did not retreat.

He put one hand on each side of the wall, capturing Rachel without touching her. They were so close that he could feel the warmth of her body. Too late, he realized that being so close to her was not a good idea.

Rachel is well acquainted with Tom's anger, but what she sees in his eyes now is the pure unadulterated desire. She imagines how it would feel the lips of Tom again. Unconsciously, she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

Tom had to use all his self-control to resist temptation. He leaned more close, their noses almost touching and…said slowly "I do not like being manipulated, Rachel!"

Then it moves away, he can longer deny or ignore the attraction he feels for the woman in front of him. One strategic retreat became necessary.

"From now on, you report to Commander Slattery."

"Because I needed to find out your reaction." She admitted."

"What?" He asks surprised.

"Answering your question, you're right, I knew that the vaccine is safe, but I wanted to provoke a reaction in you, because I needed to know if my death would affect you in some way, if you has any feelings for me, any feeling, because in the last days his lack of emotions was painful. I... I have made many mistakes as a result of **my feelings for you** , Tom."

The confession left him without knowing how to react. His blue eyes studied Rachel for a few seconds, in shock.

He was shocked by her confession, because she had just finished of confess that she loved him. If her death would cause you pain, for sure, when she said she had injected the vaccine itself, he had been terrified, petrified with the possibility of her death. He could not deny the attraction he felt for her, but was not yet ready to admit other feelings.

She had never seen Thomas Chandler this shocked and speechless before.

"What are we, Tom?" She asked softly. She did not want to scare him even more.

He hesitated. "Friends…I… That is all I can be… _for now._ I care about you more than I should, but I still feel married, I need time. "She knows how I feel, I can see in her eyes. **I love you** , but I am not ready to say it yet.

She looks at him and see the contradiction. Friends is what their mouth say, your eyes, your body is saying something else.

"I need to go, Rachel, but I come back to finish this conversation. And Rachel, do not do anything dangerous or reckless while I'm gone."

"What could make of dangerous here? You... You'll make it back in one piece. Have I made myself clear, Captain? I'd hate sew you." What she meant was, _come back to me._

He put his hand to his forehead like he was saluting other soldier. "Loud and clear, Dr. Scott. I will do everything possible to fulfill your orders." Then he leaned over and brushed his lips on hers in a light caress and walked away, leaving her stunned.

After his exit, Rachel takes one hand to lips, not believing that he did it, but this gesture give you some hope that in the future there may be more than friendship between them. She sighs and returns to work, praying that they come back home safe and unharmed, because not only the Captain is important to her, all the ship's crew occupies a space in your heart.


End file.
